Pranksters have set off fireworks in a town amid fears a cargo ship carrying "potentially explosive" fertiliser could blow up.

The incident happened at about 3.00pm on Tuesday when teenagers reportedly set off a series of fireworks at a bus stop by the Hatfield Hotel in The Esplanade in Lowestoft.

A loud bang was heard throughout the town in a prank some locals believe could be inspired by fears that the MV Ruby - a damaged cargo shipping carrying "potentially explosive" ammonium nitrate fertiliser in Great Yarmouth - could explode.

"It made me and my kids jump out of our skin," said a frightened local who heard the bang.

"Probably someone setting a firework off to make people worried that the tanker is blowing up," Tara Blige added. 

MVThe MV Ruby cargo ship docked at Great Yarmouth (Image: Bruno Brown) "People have been fear-mongering that it’s gonna blow up. Setting off a loud firework would scare a lot of people right now even if it is close to firework night."

The arrival of the ship, which is 183 metres long and nearly 28 metres wide, sparked concern among many in Great Yarmouth and the surrounding area who feared its load was unsafe.

It is carrying more than seven times the amount of ammonium nitrate involved in an explosion in the port of Beirut in 2020 which killed 218 people and injured a further 7,000.

The vessel's management company Serenity Ship Management has said that the load poses "no risk to the surrounding area in its present state".

Dave Hillman added: "Don't think anyone would be posting a comment if that tanker blew up.

"We would all be brown bread."